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The Church and Chapel in Badby

The Parish Church of St. Mary The Virgin

The Parish Church of St. Mary The Virgin, Badby(Photo: Peter Cooper)

The Parish Church of St. Mary The Virgin, a Grade II* listed building, dates from the early years of the 14th century. The design of the windows and the
mouldings round the top of the pillars point to a time just before 1348 when the Black Death swept the country.

The impressive clerestory windows were added in the 15th century and are said to be among the finest in the County. Inside the
church, above the Chancel Arch, the line of the original pitched roof can be clearly seen. The ‘new’ windows must have brought about
a dramatic change in the feel of the interior by giving a greater sense of light and space.

The screen that would once have separated the nave from the chancel, dividing the secular activities of the nave from the sacred
activities of the chancel and sanctuary, was removed at the Reformation (1540); it may be that a part of it now acts as the front
panel of the altar. The altar rails also date from the 17th century.

The original tower of the church collapsed in 1705 and was rebuilt in 1709. The altar rails also date from the 17th century.

The church, both interior and exterior, was much restored in 1880 by E.F. Law. Most of the tie beam roof timbers, the tower arch,
the stained glass in the chancel, south aisle and west tower and the vestry and organ chamber date from the nineteenth century.

A kitchen and toilet were added as a 'north porch' in the late 20th century.

An interesting exception to the late date of most of the glass can be found in the east window of the north wall of the north
aisle. Two portions of glass are heraldic shields; one is the Arms of Evesham Abbey and the other the Royal Arms of England between
the reign of Henry IV and Elizabeth I. The other portion of glass is a roundel displaying an Abbot’s mitre and the letters T.N., the
initials of Thomas Newbold who became Abbot of Evesham in 1491. These portions of glass demonstrate the patronage of Badby by Evesham
Abbey before the dissolution of the monasteries. The two shields were previously situated in the clerestory windows and the roundel
in the war memorial window. All three were restored and placed in their present position in 1983.

The Parish

Badby with Newnham were thought to belong to Croyland Abbey from 726AD and passed to Evesham Abbey, ratified by King Canute in
1018AD. The first rector of Badby with Newnham (Badby cum Newnham) was Henry de Cokenato, appointed by the crown in the mid 13th
century. From 1285 appointments were made by Evesham Abbey. In 1343, the first vicar was Reginald Musard.

After Evesham Abbey was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539, the manor was granted to Sir Edmund & Ursula Knightley of Fawsley
and the rectorship to Christ Church Oxford. Appointments were made by Christ Church Oxford from 1597.

Since 1919, appointments have been made by the Bishop of Peterborough. In 1971 Roy Wilfred Dooley became vicar and was additionally
priest in charge of Fawsley from 1982 until he died in 1989. The United Benefice of Badby with Newnham and Charwelton with Fawsley
and Preston Capes was formed in 1991. Since then the Rectors have been:
1991–1997 Revd Stephen Paul Adams
1998–2008 Revd Michael David Petitt
2010– Revd Susan Ann Faulkner

Features to look for in the church

Click on the areas of the plan to see more about the church and its features

The replacement nave gable cross was fitted in 2001 to mark the Millennium

The churchyard was closed for burials in 1886. The present cemetery is located on the hill facing the east of the church

A large tomb for the Watkins family, who funded much of the Victorian reconstruction, is just south east of the chancel

A row of 3 chest tombs approximately 3m east of the chancel and a chest tomb approximately 7m east of the chancel are both
Grade II listed monuments

The bells

Five bells were hung in 1709 in a new oak frame placed diagonally in the tower. This rotted and a completely new steel and iron
frame with a new extra bell were provided by John Taylor of Loughborough in 1931-2. The outcome was a very fine sounding ring of six
bells.

The 4th bell became cracked in its crown. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry recast it and it was dedicated by the vicar on Easter
Sunday 2000.

The bells are rung in the full-circle English manner, with practices every Wednesday.

2018 archeological survey

In 2018 the PCC embarked on a project to improve the access to the church and to make a more flexible area for activities. Reports on this
'Badby Church Pew Platforms Project' can be found on the
Badby Village website. During the work several skeletons and artefacts were found; a report "Archaeological observation, investigation and
recording at the Church of St Mary the Virgin Badby, Northamptonshire", prepared by Stephen Morris of MOLA Northampton (the Museum of London Archaeology) can be
found here.

The Chapel

The Chapel, Badby

The Chapel was opened as a Congregational Church in 1873 by Mr Edwin Ashworth Briggs of Ashwell House, Badby. Prior to this,
services were held on the village greens, weather permitting, or at Ashwell House. The Briggs family was also involved in the
erection of Newnham and Flore Chapels.

Little is known of the Briggs family. Although it is said that many of the chapels built around this period cost less than two
hundred pounds, to be involved in the building of three chapels suggests that they were a family of some means. The Chapel was
renovated in 1929 by Mr Charles Rodhouse, J.P., of Daventry.